Lured with 20% Profit Promise, Company Manager Cheated of Rs 45 Lakh

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Cyber fraudsters duped a company manager of Rs 44,80,452 by promising 20% profit through stock market trading. The accused made him download an app called “SD Hub” and defrauded him within just one and a half months. The incident took place between January 3 and February 17, 2025. According to senior inspector Geeta Bagwade, a case has been registered at the MIDC Cidco Police Station.

As per the complaint filed by Prakash Bhate, a resident of Sector A, N-1, Cidco, and manager at a company in Shendra MIDC, the fraud began on January 1 when he received a WhatsApp message from a woman named “Sonia Mehra.” She asked if he was interested in learning stock trading. When Bhate agreed, she introduced him to a man claiming to be “Professor Rupert Clark.” Clark provided information on high-quality stocks and promised a 20% profit, asking Bhate to download the SD Hub app. Trusting him, Bhate initially invested Rs 25,000 on January 3. When he saw a visible profit, he gained confidence and invested more Rs 6.9 lakh between January 14 and 28, and another Rs 31.95 lakh via RTGS transfer. When he later tried to withdraw his profits through the app, a message appeared stating that he must first pay a tax amount. Believing it, Bhate transferred another Rs 5.7 lakh on February 17. However, when he still couldn’t withdraw any money, he realized he had been cheated. Bhate then lodged a complaint on the NCCRP cybercrime portal on February 19. After a preliminary inquiry, police registered a case of cyber fraud against Sonia Mehra and Rupert Clark.

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Previous big cyber crime cases

Oct 15 - Businessman duped of Rs 73 lakhs through fake ‘Azim Premji Invest’ app promising double returns.

Aug 3 -City woman duped of Rs 34.87 lakh in fake Zerodha investment scam

July 8 - Elderly Couple Duped of Rs 78.6 Lakh as Cybercrooks Impersonate IPS Officer Using AI Video Call

April 23 - A 55-year-old woman cheated of Rs 61.7 lakh by cyber crooks posing as CBI officers

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Stay alert against Cyber Fraud

• Verify every website before sharing personal or financial information. Do not install unknown or unverified apps.

• Do not trust investment links, messages, or calls received in the name of any company without proper verification. Always check the company’s official website before investing.

• Be cautious of WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, or apps that promise high returns or double-your-money investment schemes. These are often created to cheat users.